Barkley Barton II Named Director of Undergraduate Admissions

Following a national search, Barkley  Barton II has been selected as the new director of University of Georgia Office of Undergraduate Admissions. His appointment is effective May 1, 2021, in the Office of Instruction.

“Barton’s extensive experience with the admissions process in highly selective schools, and proven success in recruiting, especially of underrepresented student populations, makes him a strong addition to our existing stellar admissions team. His ability to develop innovative programming and strong communication skills will prove an asset as UGA continues to receive a record number of applications each year,” says Rahul Shrivastav, vice president of instruction.

Barton began his career in admissions 20 years ago here in Georgia in 2001 at Clark Atlanta University and Georgia State University. He moved on to a more senior position at University of North Carolina, Asheville, and University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, where he developed events for high academic talent, underrepresented and first-generation students.

Barton went on to University of Minnesota Twin – Cities and then Notre Dame, where he spent a collective five years leading the effort to build relationships with community-based organizations and developing strategies to enhance the diversity of the incoming first-year class. He also worked with national and regional organizations such as QuestBridge, Posse, Cristo Rey Network to grow diversity recruitment efforts.

“I am honored to be selected to serve as the next director of admissions for the University of Georgia,” says Barton.  “I am extremely excited by the mission of the university and the opportunity to work with such a talented admissions staff and other strategic partners on campus to advance the University’s mission.”

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions is responsible for recruitment, application management, admittance, academic scholarships, and new student orientation. UGA has received more than 39,000 applications for the class of 2025 from all 50 states plus D.C. and over 60 countries. The office also admits more than 4,500 transfer applications annually and organizes orientation for over 7,000 students.